PA's Fayyad tear-gassed by IDF in Bil'in protest

PA prime minister hit by tear gas when clashes break out between protesters, IDF; hundreds riot throughout West Bank.

Fayyad tear gassed 370.
(photo credit:REUTERS)

Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces clashed at a rally marking
the eighth anniversary of weekly protests against the security barrier in
Bil’in, west of Ramallah, on Friday.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister
Salam Fayyad and other Palestinian leaders attended the rally and were hit by
tear gas that security forces fired at rioters.

The Bethlehem-based Ma’an
News Agency reported that several Palestinians were injured in the Bil’in
protest and in minor riots throughout the West Bank sparked by the death of
Palestinian stone-thrower Arafat Jaradat in Megiddo Prison last week and in
solidarity with hunger-striking security prisoners.

In Hebron, some 200
Palestinians protested and threw rocks, and soldiers used crowd dispersal means,
the IDF said.

Palestinians rioted at several additional locations across
the West Bank, including Nabi Salih and Beitunya, both near Ramallah, and Kafr
Kaddum, located between Nablus and Kalkilya. Soldiers used tear gas and rubber
bullets against the rioters, the IDF Spokesman’s Office said.

At least
one Palestinian was seriously wounded in the head by a rubber bullet, a
Palestinian ambulance worker said.

Gazans rioted near the border fence
with Israel on Friday, firing guns in the direction of soldiers, and throwing
stones and firebombs, the IDF Spokesman’s Office said. No soldiers were wounded,
but an IDF vehicle was lightly damaged. IDF return fire hit three Palestinians,
military sources said.

Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz on Friday
played down the probability of protests escalating into a third
intifada.

“There is a lot of talk about a third intifada...

I do
not think that we are seeing such a thing developing,” Gantz said. “We know how
to contain these events properly.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

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